20 December 2019

xmas music on a Friday

Today is my last day at work before the festive week or whatever we shall call it. In this house the plan is for almost complete inactivity involving dressing gowns, reading and pots of tea. Also red wine for R and possibly watching some crime series after dark. Of course: phone calls. Maybe a walk or a cycle, weather permitting. By Saturday, however, we have to get organised and ready for a family event cleverly combining belated xmas celebrations and my brother's birthday.

I have written about my childhood xmas here. You don't need to read that post, just listen for a bit to this piece of classical music and you get the idea. This is what spells xmas for me in a million ways. I can smell my mother's beeswax candles and see the hissing sparklers that hung from the tree. I can hear us arguing about who gets in first when the door opens and I can feel the itchy lace collar of my dress.



Fast forward and I am with my Irish in-laws where xmas is something completely different. I have written about it here. Again, you don't need to read that post, just listen to this song. I can see my father in law singing it, while he shimmies into the dining room, cigar in hand.  He reaches out to my little daughter and swings her around and around until she screams with delight. The room is crowded, dogs and kids, all the adults hold glasses of sherry, we wear paper hats and there is the smell of too much food.



Whatever you do for xmas, don't eat all the sweet stuff at once. Think of your future health.

9 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

We had that Bing Crosby album. Parts of childhood we shared from such distant places...

Anonymous said...

Bing Crosby's Christmas music was omnipresent back in the day. Wherever we went, there it was. Thank you for the musical memories!

Barbara Rogers said...

Lovely music for Christmas...and I haven't been in many stores, so have not heard it all till I'm blue and covering my ears! Have fun with family...may you enjoy sweets to your hearts contentment.

ellen abbott said...

I'll pass on the christmas music. it's my goal every season to not hear one piece of it.

am said...

Hope you get to walk or cycle this week of the Winter Solstice.

We are experiencing an "atmospheric river" here. Rain is predicted at least until January 3. If I want to walk, I'll need to walk in the rain.

My childhood Christmas memories are much like yours in Germany, including springerle.

As for music, these two songs cover both ends of the spectrum for me when it comes to December memories.

https://youtu.be/a8qE6WQmNus

https://youtu.be/JcXW0Se4HMs

Of note, the royalties from the album, "Christmas in the Heart," which contained both those songs went to organizations addressing hunger and homelessness.

My life so far said...

I didn't listen to the music but I did enjoy the old posts in the links.

This Christmas I will do as little as is possible and I'm looking forward to that.

Steve Reed said...

You cannot go wrong with Bing Crosby!

37paddington said...

That sounds like a very fine plan, nesting and celebrating by turns. Enjoy!

Tara said...

I will be eating delicious home-made Christmas cookies sent by a friend in France, all the way to my home in Colorado. I'll try not to think of my future as I gobble them up, with a hot pot of tea.

Aren't Christmases just the most nostalgic marking of time? I can think back with such accuracy to days 40, 50, almost 60 years ago. Hope yours is all you want it to be. Happy Solstice. Merry Christmas.